The policy provides marketing and pricing freedom to the CBM contractors to sell the CBM at Arm’s Length Price in the domestic market.

4. The Centre has approved financial assistance for bifurcated Andhra Pradesh by way of special dispensation in funding of externally aided projects (EAPs) and also the irrigation component of Polavaram project.

The special assistance will be provided to the state towards repayment of loan and interest for EAPs signed and disbursed during 2015-16 to 2019-20.

5. The Union Cabinet has approved 2% additional Dearness allowance for Central government employees and Dearness relief for pensioners.

It will be effective from 1st January 2017. This decision will benefit about 48.85 lakh Central government employees and 55.51 lakh pensioners.

Its combined impact on the exchequer will be over 6,833 crore rupees in 2017-18 for a period of 14 months from January, 2017 to February, 2018.

6. The Union Cabinet has approved Indian Institutes of Information Technology (Public- Private Partnership) Bill, 2017 in New Delhi.

The Bill will declare the existing IIITs in PPPS as Institutions of National Importance with powers to award degrees.